People will miss that it once meant something to be Southern or Midwestern. It doesn't mean much now, except for the climate. The question, “Where are you from?” doesn't lead to anything odd or interesting. They live somewhere near a Gap store, and what else do you need to know? - Garrison Keillor

We have about 8 or 9 inches on the ground here. I've already shoveled more this week than I did all of last winter. Some friends from Midland stop by earlier today and they said they have not had barely any up there yet.

We got about 8-9 inches of primarily lake effect snow yesterday, bringing our total for the month, mostly since about the 20th of December, to more than 2 feet. That's good news for the ski resorts and the snowmobilers.

I think I'm going to try out my snowshoes if I can find them in the garage. I bought them at the end of the season a couple of winters ago, and we really didn't have enough snow last winter to use them, but now we finally do.

If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich. -- John F. Kennedy, January 20, 1961

This morning I learned that the cattle, pork, and chicken industries contribute to more global warming than cars do.

"A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right, and raises at first a formidable outcry in defense of custom. Time makes more converts than reason." - Thomas Paine Common Sense.

That means 4 commutes in crappy weather with a bunch of drivers who don't slow down and think that all rain drains equally.

"We do not need any other Tutankhamun's tomb with all its treasures. We need context. We need understanding. We need knowledge of historical events to tie them together. We don't know much. Of course we know a lot, but it is context that's missing, not treasures." - Werner Herzog, in Archaeology, March/April 2011

I hear it might hit 60 this weekend... which is good because I need to put new front brake pads on my car. Yes, I have a garage, no it is not heated.

"A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right, and raises at first a formidable outcry in defense of custom. Time makes more converts than reason." - Thomas Paine Common Sense.

Got an inch of snow last night but it was heavily laden with ice. The main roads were good this morning but side streets were a bit dicey.

People will miss that it once meant something to be Southern or Midwestern. It doesn't mean much now, except for the climate. The question, “Where are you from?” doesn't lead to anything odd or interesting. They live somewhere near a Gap store, and what else do you need to know? - Garrison Keillor